Manchester United great Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates Cheltenham Festival success with two winners

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated his first triumph at racing’s premier jumps meeting when he had a 25-1 winner at the Cheltenham Festival - and secured a second success immediately after.

Last month he was in Saudi Arabia where he landed a £1.5 million race with Spirit Dancer to add to success in a £500,000 race in Bahrain in November. Despite numerous attempts he had not enjoyed any luck at Cheltenham until the Paul Nicholls-trained Monmiral changed the narrative on St Patrick’s Thursday.

Then Protektorat won the Ryanair Chase to make it a double triumph. Winning jockey Harry Cobden said: “I can’t believe this horse has won. He was a 25-1 chance but I thought he should be 125-1.”

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Ferguson owns Monmiral with Ged Mason and John and Lisa Hales. In February the same owners paid a record €740,000 for Caldwell Potter.

“That was fantastic,” said the Scot. “What a jockey. Deary me, he was brilliant. It’s my first winner here. John is the master. He chooses the horses and we back him all the way.”

Ferguson was asked on ITV Racing if the victory gave him the same buzz as winning the Champions League. “Now, that’s different,” he replied, adding when urged, “Yes.”

Mason said: “It’s been a while, 20 years of waiting to have another Festival winner and there is no better day than to have it with these two gentlemen.”